# NTSB NYC88LA191: Bellanca 7GCAA, N53784, Pendleton, NY, July 23, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 23, 1988, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place: Pendleton, NY
- Location: 43.0870° N, 78.7278° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pendleton, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0870&lon=-78.7278&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report June 25, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36190
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC88LA191
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36190/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC88LA191

## Probable cause

LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE PILOT HAD HOOKED THE BANNER.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, maneuvering
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering
  - load jettison
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PILOT OF THE BELLANCA HAD JUST STARTED HIS APPROACH TO PICK UP A BANNER, WHEN THE ENGINE WAS HEARD TO BE RUNNING ROUGH. HE CONTINUED WITH THE BANNER PICKUP. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED, THE ENGINE RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND EMITTED BLACK SMOKE. GROUND PERSONNEL INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO RELEASE THE BANNER. THE WITNESS SAID THAT THE PILOT RELEASED THE BANNER AND STARTED A SHALLOW TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DROPPED OUT OF SIGHT BEHIND A LINE OF TREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL ON BOARD. AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE AFTER SEVERAL DAMAGED COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED; IT STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY UP TO ABOUT 1300 TO 1400 RPM. DUE TO A BENT CRANKSHAFT FLANGE, THE ENGINE WAS NOT CHECKED AT A HIGHER RPM.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N53784](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53784-2011-06-06), registration cancelled 2011-06-06, S/N 320-75 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 7GCAA
- Registry model: [Bellanca 7GCAA](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-7gcaa) (registry code 1220501) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 320-75
- Airframe hours: 2559
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 91
- Registered owner: Aero Banner, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 1988
- Airport: 77NY, Pendleton Airpark, runway 9, 3,800 × 75 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 49; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 2,930 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880723027709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880723027709A), Jul 23, 1988: Bbavia 7GCAA, Pendelton, NY, Substantial damage. After banner pickup engine ran rough with black smoke. Dropped banner and stalled. Vertical impact. Engine test ok.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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